Press release

Young Argentina pushes Italy hard, but falls in four sets

Michal Lasko scored 24 in a tough Italy win over Argentina

Hamamatsu, Japan, November 29, 2011 - Italy and Argentina faced off in the third round of the 2011 FIVB World Cup, with the Italians walking away the victors 3-1 (34-36, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20). The match saw Italy again involved in an epic first set, having set the World Cup record for the longest set earlier in the tournament against the US (41-39).

Italy's Michal Lasko started Tuesday as the tournament’s leading scorer with 141 points, and he added 24 points to that total in Tuesday’s victory. He was supported by his captain, Cristian Savani with 19 points, and the match’s Most Impressive Player Ivan Zaytsev with 16 points. For Argentina, it was Federico Pereyra leading the way with 17.

The first set was close from start to finish with, Pereyra attacking well for Argentina early, countered by Lasko and Alessandro Fei for Italy. Conte put Argentina up 13-11 with an ace, but Zaytsev countered to pull back even just as quick with an ace of his own. It stayed that way until 24-24, when Lasko (who scored nine in the set) gave his side plenty of chances to win. But service errors plagued the Italians late and kept Argentina in the match. A Travica serve long gave Argentina their first set point at 28-27. Italy stuck close, and Argentina likewise squandered two chances to finish with their own service errors, but eventually they would take an epic set 36-34, a frame where neither team held more than a two-point lead.

That trend continued in the second, as Savani and Zaytsev were firing for Italy and Pereyra for Argentina as the teams edged out to 12-12. A hard Savani spike gave Italy their first three-point lead of the match at 17-14, and Lasko subsequently put them up four with another. The Italians relied heavily on the big lefty again late in this set (seven points in the second in total), until Zaytsev gave them set point with an ace, and Savani closed with a smart tip, 25-20.

In the third Savani helped his side go up 10-6 with his third ace of the match. And while Argentina came back within one, Travica ensured Italy kept a three-point lead with another one. Lasko again played closer with a late spike to go up 20-16, and they would cruise from there to take it 25-19, going up two sets to one.

Italy came out hot in the fourth with birthday boy Fei (he turned 33 on November 29) delivering an ace to open, followed by Travica’s second ace to help their side up 6-1. Conte countered well for Argentina, but the savvy Savani tipped down a stray Argentina pass to keep Italy out from 14-9. A Lasko spike pushed them ahead 23-16, and while Sebastian Solé put up good resistance late with two blocks, a Luciano De Cecco service error gave it to the Italians 25-20, three sets to one.